10 Things You Should Know Before Buying a Rabbit

You see rabbits at every pet shop. They're impossibly adorable with their playfulness. There's always at least one that catches your eye. With one twitch of his nose and touch of his velvety soft fur, you feel compelled to take him home and take care of him.

Sure, they're cute and easy to fall in love with, but most people don't realize the amount of effort and money it takes to own a rabbit. The fact that they primarily reside in cages can mislead people into thinking that they are less work than a cat or dog, but actually rabbits can turn out to be a lot more work than previously bargained for. Especially when the rabbit lives indoors, which for a variety of reasons, exposure and danger from other animals being two main ones, are why rabbits should not be housed outside. Before you think about getting one of these furry creatures, here's what you should know:

1. Housing. Buying a cage is the best place to keep a rabbit when he isn't running around. Make sure the cage is spacious enough for the rabbit to move around, stand up and stretch. Also, don't buy a cage with a wire bottom. That can hurt the bunny's feet.
   
   Be sure to place the cage in a room where the rabbit will have plenty of contact with you and your family. Rabbits are social creatures-they like to be around people and in the middle of the action.
   
2. Food/water containers. After buying a cage, you'll need to buy a food bowl (one that won't easily tip over as rabbits are notorious for playing with them) and a water bottle. Bottles work best because they only need to be changed every few days (versus every day with a water bowl) and are much more sanitary.
   
3. Litter training. Rabbits can easily be taught to be litter trained. It's so easy that all you need to do is buy a litter pan specially made for small animals (available at most pet stores) and put it in the rabbit's cage. Your rabbit will take over from there. Pans should be changed about once a week.
   
   

These furry creatures are adorable, but can be a lot of work.

Credit: kirsche222

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